It Was Always Official
by illuminatingthesoul
Summary: Dov and his lovely girlfriend are well on their way into their roller coaster romance. We all know that Dov's invested, but is Megan as pulled together as she seems?
1. Done with Waiting

Herrooo derr! Here's the next installment in Megan and Dov's fast evolving relationship. Now, keep in mind that this fic (or at least the beginning) is taking place on the _same _morning/day/evening that the other coppers go shopping. I tied everything in to the other chapters, but I just want to make sure that no one gets confused!

Thanks in advance for any reviews/constructive criticism left! x

Oh, and be aware, there's sexy time in this. Probably throughout the whole fic. Just sayin'.

(The first bit in italics is from where I left off with them, in 'Perfect'.)

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Done with Waiting

"_You _are_ perfect." His words were so quiet, she wasn't even sure she heard him right. But she knew right then, what she would say back._

_ "I think I'm falling in love with you."_

"What?" He whispered, leaning over her with wide eyes. Terrified, she realized that she may have just ruined this unorthodox but life saving romance. All she could manage was a teary eyed nod.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." She repeated, almost inaudibly. The room was silent, as she held her breath, only able to see the outline of his face in the dark. She wasn't able to see his surprised expression change to one of pure joy and relief, as he fell back onto the bed.

"Oh thank God." He began to laugh, placing one hand on his chest and finding her hand with the other, lacing their fingers together. "I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you last week." He laughed in disbelief, turning his head to look at her smiling, but confused face.

"Really?" She began to laugh too.

"Yeah. We were in the kitchen, and a huge storm rolled in, remember?" He rolled onto his side. "And you suggested we go for a walk in our pajamas. Because not only do you love storms, but you love pajamas too." She laughed harder.

"I didn't think you were even listening to me when I said that!" Any anxiety she had about revealing her feelings were gone.

"Oh, I was listening alright. I remember standing there, looking out the window. And as you said that, you touched my arm by accident. Like, you just bumped it. And I was like, oh my lord; I am in some serious trouble here." He held up her hand and splayed out his fingers against hers, smiling at the size difference. "Are you sure you're not like, sixteen?"

"I am not that small!" She exclaimed, folding her fingers into the spaces of his and pulling his arm across her, before running her hands through his hair. He closed the distance between them immediately by placing a hot kiss on her lips. Her fingers trailed down the sides of his head, behind his ears and down to his jaw.

'_This woman,_' Dov thought, kissing her again, '_will be the death of me._' Her nails weren't long, but they were long enough to give him chills as she lightly ran her fingers along the length of his jaw. The urgency in her touch was definitely not lost on him.

After a few more patient kisses, she'd had enough. She placed both of her palms against his shoulders, holding his lips inches away from hers.

"So, Dov. I have to be honest with you here." Headlights from a car outside illuminated the room briefly; giving him a good enough look at her to know what she was thinking. "I'm done with waiting." Her words sent chills through him.

"You sure?" He raised an eyebrow, licking his lips involuntarily.

"I was sure like a month ago. You're the one that always stops this." A smile tugged at her lips as she slid one hand around his neck and then to his hair.

"You say it like it didn't kill me." He laughed, pulling away for a minute. He rolled across the bed and just smiled when she looked at him, confused. "You think I'm gonna let anyone interrupt this?" He unplugged the phone on the night stand and tossed the cord to the side.

She laughed, before he pulled her under him again, kissing her feverishly. Her skin was soft, he almost felt bad about nipping at her neck, surely leaving marks to be covered up tomorrow. But then he'd get another taste of her, and every ounce of control left his body in an instant.

She dragged her nails down his bare back, making every hair on his body stand on end. His lips travelled down, settling on her chest and she arched her back into him as he nipped at her skin before soothing it with his tongue. She chewed on her bottom lip as Dov took pleasure in feeling her writhe with anticipation beneath him.

He traced the lines of her underwear with his index finger, which elicited a small whimper from her as she resisted the urge to scream. He really did take his sweet time. But as she soon realized, the waiting was worthwhile.

As they lay tangled in the sheets, the sweat beads on their bodies slowly dissolving, Dov couldn't stop watching her. She turned to look at him, her bare chest still heaving.

"Why did we wait, again?" Dov asked.

"I have no bloody idea. You're amazing." She managed to whisper, trying to get her breathing under control.

"You're delicious." He grinned lazily as she rolled onto her stomach, the sheet covering her from the waist down. He ran his fingertips down the indent her spine created on the length of her back, before leaning down and gently kissing her visible ribs. She really was a small girl. He knew it, and he loved it.

"What time is it?" She yawned.

"No clue. Maybe, 2 AM?" He mused, stretching out on his back and inviting her to snuggle closer. He folded his arm around her back after she found her way to his chest, and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Maybe we should sleep." She mused, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What ever you please, love." He closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.

Megan's eyelids were heavy, but she lifted them anyway. The sun was slowly nibbling away at the shadows of the room, the sheer white curtains of no use whatsoever. She lifted her chin and placed it on the back of her hand, which was splayed out on Dov's bare chest. The eyelashes at the corners of her eyes tangled together, seemingly another sign that she should just close her eyes and go back to sleep.

Before she could lay her head back down, Dov stirred. His eyes drifted open and he looked down at her, smiling.

"Morning." His voice was gravelly.

"Morning." Hers, on the other hand, was as smooth as velvet.

"Sleep well?" He cleared his throat, very aware of the lack of space between their bodies. He'd gotten his male tendencies under control, as to not pressure her or make her feel uncomfortable. But now that they'd crossed that bridge and effectively burned it up, it was kind of hard to hide. Especially when he knew what was possible.

"Always." She said faintly, crawling up a bit higher next to him, so she could rest her head in the crook of his neck.

"If you could do anything in this entire world at this very moment, what would it be?" The only thing he wanted to do was make her dreams come true.

"I would go to Europe. London. And I'd take the metro somewhere." She smiled.

"That's rather specific." His chest rattled as he chuckled.

"There was a poster I had as a girl. It was a photo of London, and it said 'Mind the Gap'." She laughed. "I loved it. I've always wanted to go to London and take the metro." She looked up at him. "I'm serious, always. Since I was like ten."

"Well, we could go to London, Ontario." Dov offered. "Right now. And then go to Europe some time when I have money." Her insides began to warm as she heard him speak. She'd never had someone explicitly listen to her, and try to make it happen like he did all the time.

"Right now? Like right this second?" She raised an eyebrow. She loved their spur of the moment adventures.

"If you want." He replied, his voice strained as he arched his back and stretched out more.

"Want," she traced her finger gingerly over his well defined stomach, "is a funny thing." He knew what she was hinting at.

"Seriously?" He grinned, his whole body tensing at her touch. "You're too good to be true, Megan."

"Guys aren't the only ones that like sex, Dov." She propped herself up a bit, and raised one eyebrow, letting the blanket fall off of her. '_Ah yes, we're still naked._' Dov was reminded.

"Well, who am I to object?" He smiled and rolled her over, kissing her deeply. "But after this, London, right?"

"Of course." She grinned, hooking one leg around his. Those were the last words spoken for quite some time.


	2. The Call

Next! Dun dun dun. Keep your eyes out for an inciting incident. And then go watch the whole season of Haven. Lucas Bryant is so YUMMY! Thanks for all reviews!

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The Call

"How can it be so sunny, yet so cold out?" Megan asked, tucking her arms around herself to preserve heat.

"No idea." Dov chuckled, sliding one arm around her waist and holding her close. "Thank god for central air." He smiled, holding the door to Milagro's open for her.

Before even thinking about getting something to eat, they found a seat and tried to warm themselves up.

"So, tell me, Dov." She perched her chin on top of her folded hands. "If you could do anything in the entire world right now, what would it be?" She tilted her head a little.

"You." He said with a straight face. He watched her eyes widen a little, and only then did he begin to laugh. "Kidding! Well, not really. But, I don't know. I'm kind of happy with where I am right now." He smiled, realizing that he was, in fact, happy.

"Through and through? Not a thing you would change?" She asked.

"Well hey, I'd like to be a little taller and a lot richer," he laughed, "but other than that, I'm quite content. I got my own place, a job that I love, and an amazing girlfriend. I think it works out quite nicely. Wouldn't change a thing." A waitress approached and began speaking, but Megan just continued to gaze on at the current love of her life. She'd like him to be the only one, but she was young, really young. At twenty three, she knew she should be out partying, travelling, bar hopping and bed hopping.

Maybe it was her upbringing that caused her to mature so quickly, but whatever it was definitely had an effect. As far as she could tell, she was ready to settle down with him. She shuddered a little, still amazed that this was even possible. The girl with the most dysfunctional emotional and trust issues, ready to settle down. At twenty three. '_Craziness._' She smiled to herself. She wouldn't change anything either.

"Earth to Megan? She'll just have a water." Dov smiled at the waitress as Megan snapped out of her trance.

"Sorry, sorry." She laughed. "Water would be great." She shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

"Thinking?" He asked, prompting a curt nod and a demure smile. "About?"

"You." She said simply, picking up her menu and scanning the list of starters.

"Good things, I hope?" He left the question with an open end, waiting to say what she'd say to fill in the blanks.

"But of course." She smiled, but didn't raise her eyes to meet his. She knew how to play with his mind, that's for sure. He just laughed as he tried to decide between the pad Thai and the chicken curry, easily the most difficult choice of the day so far.

"What if I get the pad Thai, and you get the curry, and we can just share?" Megan proposed, giggling.

"Yes! You're a genius. That's the best idea I've ever heard." He closed his menu and laid it down on the table, chuckling. "So, the Christmas party. Do you still wanna come?" He raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink.

"If you'll have me, I'd love to." She smiled.

"Obviously! I'd love to show you off." He winked.

"Oh God, Dov. I doubt there will be any of that. Look at Andy, and Gail and Traci. They're all going to look phenomenal. They are the ones that are gonna get shown off." She furrowed her brow, not looking forward to being the center of attention.

"Are you crazy?" Dov leaned forward and kissed her over the table. "They're gorgeous. But you, you are _gorgeous._" He smiled and nodded.

"Maybe you're the crazy one." She whispered, winking and taking a sip of her water.

"Somehow I doubt that." He laughed, as the ring of her cell phone sounded. She looked at him with questioning eyes, and he just waved it off. "Go ahead."

"I'll be quick." She pulled her phone out of her bag and tilted her head, confused, when she read the caller ID. "It's Traci."

"She wanted to tell you how gorgeous you are." He said, monotonous. She rolled her eyes and flipped open her phone.

"Hello?" She smiled into the phone.

"Hey, Megan, it's Traci. What are you up to today?" The woman on the other end asked.

"Today? Not sure." She laughed. "But as of right now I'm sitting in Milagro's in London with Dov."

"Tell her I say hi." He whispered loudly, leaning across the table.

"He says hi." She giggled obediently, and Traci just laughed in return. They finished their conversation quickly and Megan hung up the phone. "They're going dress shopping. I'm going to look like such a scrub next to them!" She sighed, putting her phone back in her bag.

"You're definitely the crazy one." He laughed as the waitress came back to take their orders.

The rest of their unorthodox breakfast was great, until Dov made the mistake of rubbing the back of Megan's calf with his foot. It wasn't done on purpose, but as soon as he did, they both had the same thing on their minds. An exchange of glances, and Dov locked eyes with the waitress and raised his hand.

"Check please!" He cleared his throat. Megan laughed as she began to gather her things. It was rushed and full of confused looks, but they made it out of the restaurant in record time. "So, there's a hotel around the corner. Just throwing that out there."

"We can't do this all the time, you know that right? Sex at random times, random places. We'd both be broke, checking into hotels every other day." She laughed, following him to the car.

"It could be our thing." He laughed, opening her door for her. "It'll be our hobby. Sex, everywhere."

"Oh my God, Dov." She snorted, shaking her head. "Isn't that illegal?"

"Cop by day, sex fiend by night." He shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm sure the white shirts would just love handling the press on that one." She said sarcastically.

"You never know." He sang, pulling out of one parking lot and into another directly around the corner. They walked briskly into the lobby of the hotel and paid for a room for one night.

"I can't believe we're doing this." She shook her head as they stood in the elevator, waiting for their floor.

"Really?" Dov stepped out as the doors opened, and took her by the hand. "I can." He led her down to their room and unlocked the door. After doing a quick check to make sure no one was directly in their view, he pulled her in front of him and pressed her back against the door, kissing her feverishly. She found the door handle and managed to twist it, pulling him with her. He slammed the door shut with his foot, leaving the rest up to imagination for onlookers.

"Yeah?" Dov groaned into his cell phone. They lay on the bed in their hotel room, as they had last night, with chests heaving and sweat dampening their skin.

"You okay man? You sound out of breath." Chris asked.

"Yeah, Chris, I'm fine. What's up?" He cleared his throat and tried to hurry the call along.

"Look, I don't have a suit nice enough to wear to the party. The girls went to find dresses today, and Gail's gonna look amazing. I don't want to look stupid next to her in a suit from high school." He sighed.

"What are you saying?" Dov chuckled, wanting to hear him say the words.

"We need to go shopping." Chris said quietly.

"What was that, Chris? We need to go where?" He laughed, putting him on speaker phone for Megan to hear.

"I said, we need to go shopping!" He muttered hurriedly. The two burst out laughing, before Dov pulled the phone back down to his ear.

"Fine, man. I'm in London, but we'll leave right now. Be at my place in like, an hour and fifteen." Dov calmed himself down.

"London's like two hours away." Chris countered.

"Not if I can help it." He laughed. "See you later."

"Bye." They hung up. Dov rolled over to see Megan sitting, tying her hair up.

"Where do you think you're going?" He pulled her back down and kissed her.

"You said we were leaving right now." She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I didn't mean it." He chuckled, before he began to press light kisses along her jaw.

"Well in that case." She pulled the elastic out of her hair and melted into his touch.

It only took them an hour to drive back to Dov's house, which quite frankly, surprised them both. But only when Chris greeted them, yelling something about taking two hours to get back, did they realize just how long they'd taken doing… other things.

Dov said goodbye, kissed her once on the nose and left her to her own devices. After she watched the car pull away, she walked back into the house and changed into her yoga pants and a sweatshirt before taking off on a nice afternoon run.

She'd always been pretty athletic. She ran a lot when she was younger, and now it just cleared her head better than anything else. She ran and ran, for a few hours until she finally ended up at a beach she'd never been to before.

It was beautiful, she thought. The waves gently rolled against the shore, clouds swirling past the sun. She inhaled, the cold air sticking to her lungs. She loved that feeling, like she was alive. And sweaty and exhausted from running for so long.

She walked down the beach and found a large, flat rock to sit on before shaking out her hair and reassembling it in another pony tail. She reached into her pocket and checked the time on her phone, wondering where Dov was at that moment. She sighed, and leaned back against another rock behind her, just taking it all in.

Her phone began to ring, and she actually laughed out loud.

"You read my mind, Dov." She laughed, digging her phone out of her pocket. "Oh…" She frowned, unhappy with the name on her caller ID. "Megan speaking." She put on her work voice.

"Meg, hey. It's Lisa. Look lady, I have some great news." Her eccentric boss called through the phone. "You know how we were working on establishing some friends over in Europe? Well, I got the call this morning. There's a retailer there that is more than willing to pick up our line!"

"Oh my God, Lisa! That's fantastic!" Megan laughed.

"It is! We're opening an office over there to ease the strain that distance can put on a business relationship." Lisa continued. "And I think I'm going to head up the new team. I trust everyone around here, I think that if we ship our head office overseas, there will be a better market and the one down here and in New York can be secondary."

"Wow, wow." Megan smiled. They'd been waiting for this break for so long. "Well who is going to replace you? Are they going to be as nice to me?" She chirped. She'd been Lisa's assistant for years now, since she started interning for her at nineteen. Lisa ran a small scale fashion house, and had been trying to sell collections overseas even before Megan went to work for her.

"Well, Meg, I had another idea." Lisa's voice took on a mischievous tone.

"What are you thinking, Lisa?" Megan asked, giggling.

"Come with me." Lisa's words dropped like bombs.

"What?" Megan managed to choke out.

"Come with me! You always said you wanted to go to London, so come with me. Let's face it; you keep my life running on schedule." She said. "Seriously, Megan. I can fly you there and set you in a hotel until you find a place to live. The pay will be better, and it'll be permanent. No more running around. We'd be downtown, right in the heart of things." Damn, this was sounding really good.

"Lisa, I – I, I don't know what to say." Megan furrowed her brow, rubbing her eyes.

"Look, don't say anything. You've got until Sunday night to make a decision, the plane leaves Monday. Okay? I'll call you. Think about it, Megan. Really think about it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." Megan could hear the heaviness in Lisa's voice. She meant every word she was saying.

"O – Okay." She whispered, hanging up her phone.

She clapped her hand over her mouth. Life just got a whole lot harder.


	3. Heartbeats

Note: Strong language here.

I must say, that the way you've all adopted Megan like one of our true characters makes me VERY HAPPY! I didn't think she'd catch on so well... Hehehehe I love it. Thanks for all your reviews!  
I've definitely taken your opinions into consideration... But I'm still not sure how this is gonna play out.  
It would be awfully cruel of me to split them up right before Christmas though, wouldn't it?  
And in case I don't speak with you all tomorrow, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Go out, party, have fun, and kiss that cute neighbour of yours ;) Reckless abandon my friends, reckless abandon. ;)

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Heartbeats

Megan sat on her rock for a good half hour, just watching the wind scalp the whitecaps off the waves. It wasn't until the bitter cold forced her to shift her position did she realize that her muscles were seizing up.

"Damn it." She stood up and began to try to stretch. It was getting dark out, she should probably be heading home anyway, she decided. She crossed her arm over her body and began to stretch out her side, biting her lip against the winds that had picked up. She was almost warmed up enough to begin her run home, but her phone began to ring again. For once, she didn't want it to be Dov.

"Hello?" She didn't check her caller ID, but the voice on the other end made tears flood her eyes.

"Hey, love. Where are you?" Dov's voice asked lovingly.

"Um," She held the phone away from her and sucked back her tears, hoping the waves would cause enough background noise to not give her away. "I'm at some beach. I went for a run and ended up here." She giggled, doing her best to hide her current situation.

"Babe! It's so cold, you're gonna get sick. What cross streets are you at, do you remember? I'll come get you." She could hear him grabbing his jacket and shoes. It's funny, how when you spend enough time with someone you become accustomed to their mannerisms.

For example, whether Dov realized it or not, he always flipped his hair out of his eyes to the left. And on the rare occasion that they argued, he always shifted from one foot to the other and he never raised his voice. Whether that was natural, or he just didn't want to scare her, she couldn't tell. And whenever they happened to be watching the news, and a murder or assault came up that he was familiar with, he'd always hold her a little closer.

Ninety percent of the time, he slept on his stomach but there was always at least one part of his body touching her. Or her personal favourite, whenever they would cuddle on the couch, he'd always lay his head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. She never knew why, but it seemed to comfort him; which in turn, comforted her.

She noticed the small things, and she could usually tell what he was thinking. This meant, he could probably tell what she was thinking. And that meant, she couldn't stay at home while she was thinking everything over. '_Great._' She sighed. '_Now I'm gonna be the one insisting on a hotel._'

"I'll meet you at that Starbucks we went to the other day, alright? The one, that one near that place." She wasn't exactly capable of focusing on one subject at the moment.

"Alright." He laughed, to her relief. Yep, he could definitely read her mind. "I'll be there in like twenty minutes. She heard him close the door and walk down the front steps.

"Okay, see you soon." She sighed, her voice cracking a bit. "Love you." She whispered, tears returning. She could hear him smiling into the phone as he spoke.

"I love you too, Megan. See you in a minute." He snapped his phone shut.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck." She whispered to herself, biting at one of her nails as the wind whipped at her hair. "This just had to happen now, didn't it?" She asked the sky, angrily.

The seagulls screamed in the distance and she bit her tongue, shaking the aching feeling inside her stomach before jogging off to meet Dov. No sooner than five minutes after she reached the Starbucks did he show up.

"Boo." Dov whispered, sliding his hands around her waist. She jumped, but then collapsed into him in a fit of laughter.

"You're going to Hell." She turned around to face him, resting her hands on his chest. "I told you not to scare me!"

"I couldn't resist." He shrugged. "You looked so innocent and unsuspecting." He kissed her gently. When he pulled back, he noticed a table of three teenage girls, staring longingly at him. "Don't look now, but I see a few jealous teenagers behind you." He whispered to her, touching his nose to hers.

"Oh really now?" She threaded her arms around his neck. "Well, you know what I always say. If you've got an audience, give them a show." She grinned, before pressing a searing kiss to his lips, which he eagerly responded to.

"I feel like someone terrible is going to happen." He sighed into her lips. "Because you get better and better everyday. It's unbelievable. Something bad has to happen." She could tell than he was kidding, and it hurt her to know the realness of his words.

"Well, we'd might as well just enjoy right now then, right?" She lightly dragged her thumb across his cheek. He furrowed his brow, but didn't press the subject.

"Let's just go home." Much to the onlookers' dismay, he swept her off her feet and carried her to the car, a little worried at how her demeanour seemed so… resigned. "You okay?" He asked gently, once they were both seated.

"Oh, yeah. I'm just really tired." She laughed.

"Alright." He sang, satisfied, for now.

"I can't wait to shower." She began, sighing. "I love running, but I do not love feeling gross after."

"Funny, you look pretty appetizing to me right now." Dov grinned.

"Oh God, Dov. Maybe after I shower." She laughed.

"Fine." He said, mock pouting.

She was more than relieved when they got home. She felt like she was suffocating in that car, trying to keep herself together. She practically ran to the front door, unlocked it, and then didn't stop until she reached the bathroom.

"Hey, I'm gonna make some dinner. Anything you had in mind?" Dov asked through the door.

"Honestly, babe, I'm not that hungry. Make something, maybe I'll have a little later, okay?" She refused to open the door and look at him.

"Alright." Dov almost asked. He could definitely tell something was wrong. He always could. Since they'd met, he always felt that he knew her. He didn't know why, but he knew her mind like the back of his hand. And right now, her mind was not at peace. It was spinning at a million miles a minute, and she was hiding something. "Love you." He whispered.

Her back straightened, not sure if he'd actually said anything, or if she was just dreaming. She stripped off her gym clothes and climbed in the shower, setting the water as hot as she could stand it. She let the water trickle down her shoulders and over her chest, tilting her head back to soak her hair. She'd had a long history of crying in the shower, but she didn't want to alarm Dov. So, she held it back.

The water left red welts along her back, and the steam filled her lungs but she didn't care. She needed something, anything, to take her mind off of Lisa's offer. It was her career, something she'd worked so hard for; or her love, something that was never guaranteed.

"Damnit, Megan. You just couldn't have a good year, could you?" She whispered to herself, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.

She quickly washed, conditioned and rinsed her long dark hair and then continued to stand there, letting the boiling water beat the energy out of her. It had been a half hour before she snapped out of her daze and shut off the shower. She climbed out and towel dried her hair; taking her time to ensure that Dov didn't see the red streaks all over her body.

When she finally emerged from the bathroom, she decided she'd give Dov's method a try: throwing all of your cards on the table. She was just hoping he wouldn't call her bluff.

"Babe, Lisa called me today. I have to go out of town for a meeting for a few days." She said, picking up a piece of carrot on the cutting board on the counter. He looked up her, still stirring the pot in front of him.

"Oh." He was visibly disappointed. "When? For how long?"

"Tonight, actually. Just for a few days, I'll be back Saturday morning. So we can still go to the Christmas party." She smiled as big as she could.

"Alright, I guess that's okay." He scoffed. "What am I even talking about? Of course it's okay. Its work, I get it. When do you have to leave?" He turned to face her, but not before shutting off the element on the stove.

"An hour or so." She sighed.

"Well, not as long as I'd like, but I can work with that." He kissed her passionately. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to not let him see that something was wrong. He didn't notice, as far as she could tell. He only picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

It was almost seven o'clock, and Megan had just made reservations at a hotel that she told Dov was in Vaughan. In reality, it was a Four Seasons about fifteen minutes away from their house.

"I love you, you know." She told him, watching him through the mirror as he moved around their room. She tied up her hair and had changed into her work attire, packed a bag and everything.

"I know, love." He looked up at her and smiled, with such kindness and care that her heart almost melted right there. "I love you too."

"I'll be back before you know it, okay?" She turned to face him. "I swear."

"I know! I know. Doesn't mean I'm gonna miss you any less." He smiled sadly, walking over to her and taking her hands in his. "Can I drive you there?"

"Oh, Dov it's fine. I've already called for a cab." She placed her hand on the side of his face.

"Okay." He said, quietly, looking at his feet.

"Come on." She dragged him over to the bed and lay down on her side. He crawled up next to her, and folded one arm over her body, resting his head on her chest.

"It's only two nights." She whispered. The sound of her voice was calming to him, much like the steady beat of her heart, but he still couldn't hide his displeasure with the whole situation.

"Last time you left…" He didn't have to finish his sentence, but already waves of guilt began to batter her.

"Dov I'm going to be fine. I'll call you everyday, five times a day. Okay?" She reassured him. He nodded and closed his eyes, trying to imprint her touch into his mind. He wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't go crazy without her. His grip tightened as he heard the cab pull up outside and honk. "Dov." She whispered, and he released her.

He followed her like a lost puppy to the door, only letting go of her hand at the last second. "I love you." He cleared his throat, and called after her.

"You're too good to me, Dov. I love you too." She turned, and smiled graciously at him. "Bye." She whispered, before turning back and continuing to the cab. She closed the door behind her, and watched him watch her as the car pulled away. "Four Seasons on Avenue." She said briskly, before leaning back into her seat and trying to keep herself together.

"Yes ma'am." The taxi driver responded, taking the appropriate turn. She rested her head against the window and sighed as the first sign of rain started to fall and night finally began to settle over Toronto. They hadn't made it more than five minutes away from the house when her phone beeped in her pocket. She shifted a little and pulled it out of her pocket, reading that she had a text, from Dov.

_Text Message_

_Awwww, Megan, can we get one?_

_From: Dov Epstein_

She hit the down button to view the photo accompanying the text. She smiled at a small puppy staring up at her, the photo obviously taken off the television screen, one of those SPCA ads. It was his thing, those ads. Every time they came on, he'd make her sit through it and then try to talk her into getting a pet.

She smiled fondly at the memories, and unconsciously clenched her fist so hard she drew blood from the palm of her hand. '_Oh God, what am I going to do?_' She asked herself as she pulled a Kleenex out of her purse and wiped away the blood.

She paid the driver and got her suitcase out of the trunk before making her way into the lobby, dragging her bags behind her.

"Checking in?" The man behind the counter asked. She nodded, and gave him the information he needed. "Josh!" He flagged down a bellhop, who promptly jogged over.

"I did tell you that I'm not you servant, right Brad?" He grinned at the man behind the counter. "Here, I'll show you to your room." He flashed a million dollar smile at Megan as he bent down to pick up her bags.

"Oh, it's fine. I can, really, it's – " She was silenced by a raised eyebrow from Josh.

"Trust me, it's no trouble." He smiled and led her to the elevator. "So, what brings you to the Four Seasons?" He tried to make a little small talk, but needless to say, she wasn't in the mood. But, she was still going to try.

"I, uh, I just, some, work. It's for work." She exhaled sharply, nodding.

"Affair?" He raised his eyebrow again, and his question definitely caught her off guard.

"What? No!" She shook her head, shooting him a confused smile.

"You uh, looking for one?" He said smoothly, as the elevator dinged. Megan smiled and turned to face him.

"You're cute." She tapped the side of his face. "Like, four year old cute." His face began to go red. "Nice try though." She slid a five dollar bill in his chest pocket and bent down to get her bags, exiting the elevator. She smiled to herself. '_That was a show._'

She could practically feel him watch her down the hall and around the corner to her room. What that man saw was a confident, sexy young woman that could have anything she wanted. What he didn't see, was that as soon as she made it through the door and shook off her coat, she promptly crawled into the bed and cried herself to sleep.


	4. Strangers

Numero cuatro, amigos! There's one more left in this, THEN WE'RE HAVING A CHRISTMAS PARTY. Thank you so much for all of your terrific reviews, they make me so happy :)

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Strangers

The next morning, she woke to a pounding headache. She rolled over in her bed and sighed, rubbing the makeup out of her eyes with her fingers.

"Oh my God." She groaned, stretching out across the bed and raising her head at the emptiness surrounding her. "Hotel. You're in a hotel, Megan. He isn't here." She inhaled against the pillow and instantly was _painfully_ aware that the sheets were free of Dov's scent. Every morning, when he'd go to work, she'd wake up and he'd kiss her on the cheek and be gone. At first, it was really hard not having him there next to her. Then, she figured out that she could just roll over to his side of the bed and close her eyes, and pretend. Pretend that even if it was only for a few extra minutes, she wasn't alone.

These sheets disgusted her. She hated them. They weren't warm and homey like the ones on her bed, on _their _bed. These ones reeked of white linen fabric softener, it only added to the headache. '_Note to self: next time you stay at a hotel, bring your own sheets._' She sighed before dragging herself to the bathroom and washing off the black mascara staining her cheeks. She took down her hair and smiled sadly at herself as her dark curls fell perfectly around her shoulders.

"Why can't you look like this everyday?" She asked her long locks. Her eyes were puffy and red from sobbing all night, and she was still in her work dress. It was fitted around her legs, and she was surprised that she'd managed to get any sleep at all in a skin tight pencil dress. She turned on the TV and found a suitable music channel, grinning as one of her all time favourite songs came on. She walked back to the bed and picked up the phone, asking the front desk to send up some Advil. At the price she paid for this room, she could ask them to bring her a horse and they'd have to listen.

A few minutes later, she'd forgotten about the concierge desk sending someone up. She fell back into bed and was only then reminded that she was still in work attire. She reached up her back and dragged the zipper down the bottom of its track. She walked around and began checking cupboards, drawers, and the bathroom to see if there was anything in the way of essential oils.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Shit!" She hit her head on the bathroom counter in surprise. Rubbing the sore spot, she got back to her feet and walked to the door, just opening it enough to recognize a semi-familiar face. "Josh, right?" He smiled widely.

"See, I may look like a four year old but at least I'm not a forgettable four year old." He leaned against the door frame and she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Do you have my Advil?" She laughed, reaching around to her back and trying to zip up her dress, with no success.

"Yes, ma'am." He raised his right hand and shook the bottle a bit, before holding it out to her. "Anything else I can get for you?" She bit her lip for a minute, before nodding briskly and walking back into the room. She'd made it all the way to the mini bar before her hand snapped back up to her dress and she tugged furiously at the zipper, trying to cover her bare back. "Megan?" She raised her head. "I checked the name on the room, sorry." Josh smiled sheepishly. "Relax. I've seen way worse than an unzipped dress." He said with sincerity and surprisingly, maturity.

"Sorry." She straightened her back and rubbed her eyes, before leaning down to the mini bar and grabbing the key. She locked it, and carried it back over to Josh. "Take this. Don't give it back to me." She nodded briskly, folding his fingers over the key.

"Okay. And, I'm not hitting on you, I swear. But, do you wanna go get a coffee later?" He tilted his head a little, and the cocky, arrogant guy who was good looking and knew it vanished. He kind of looked like a puppy.

"I have a boyfriend." She said, a small smile on her face.

"And I have a girlfriend." He raised an eyebrow.

"And she's okay with you hanging out with random girls?" Megan leaned against the opposite side of the door frame, crossing her arms.

"Look, I'm about the most metro sexual guy you will ever meet. And I know an upset woman in need of a friend when I see one." He mirrored her actions, crossing his arms.

"I have friends. And a boyfriend." She insisted.

"I'm sure you do. Are you in? I can come by at like four. Just coffee." He straightened up as his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

"Well, see," Megan sighed, "I can't really leave. I live in Toronto, and everyone thinks that I'm…"

"Somewhere else?" He smiled again. "You'd be surprised at how many people come here just looking for a break, or some time to think. I'm practically a therapist by now." He laughed.

"Okay." Megan smiled. "Josh?" He looked up at her. "Thanks." She whispered, before turning back into her room and closing the door behind her. She slid out of her dress and smiled as she heard Josh chuckle from behind the door and then walk away. She opened the windows – she was high enough up that no one could see in – and fell onto the bed, almost completely free of clothing.

She had a day and a half more to hide her head in the sand and think. Contemplate. Decided which path to take. She was afraid, really. There wasn't really a possible outcome where she'd win on both sides. Keep her love, lose her career. Keep her career, lose her Dov. The one man on earth that she couldn't stand to wake up without. She didn't even know why this was such a hard decision. The choice seemed obvious, but something just kept holding her back.

"Bed." She crawled underneath the blankets and set her alarm for three thirty, before popping two Advil and burying her face in the pillows, letting sleep calm her nerves.

She slept for what felt like minutes. When her alarm buzzed and shocked her awake, she groaned and silenced it with a quick smack of her hand. "Be quiet." She told it, rolling over and falling asleep again.

About twenty five minutes later, Josh walked down the hall to her room, two coffees in hand. He knocked, and began to laugh when he heard her whisper "Fuck!" from the other side of the door.

"Did you sleep in?" He asked from the hallway.

"Maybe!" She called back. "Hold on!" Megan scrambled about the room, trying to find something to wear. She slid on a shirt and some shorts, before grabbing the bath robe on the back of the door and tying it tightly around her waist. "Hi." She smiled, out of breath as she opened the door.

"Yeah, you slept in." Josh smiled, raising an eyebrow at her messy hair.

"Don't judge me, I needed the sleep." She groaned lightly, stepping back so he could enter. "You look a lot different out of uniform."

"Really?" He turned, and then looked down at his own clothes. A grey T-shirt and jeans, the usual. She smiled meekly.

"Yeah. And you'd think I'd be used to it, my boyfriends a cop, but nope. The uniform changes everything." He laughed at her, and stepped forward.

"Here." He handed her a coffee. "Two sugars, one milk." He raised an eyebrow. "You looked like a two sugar kind of girl to me."

"You're dead on, kiddo." She took a sip and collapsed into one of the large armchairs in the small sitting area at the corner of the room.

"I'm 25!" He laughed, sitting across from her.

"_You're _25?" She asked incredulously.

"Why is that so hard to believe?" He asked.

"Because you look nineteen." She answered simply, lifting her legs over the arm of the chair and slouching against the other.

"Well how old are you? Because you're the size of a sixteen year old." He countered.

"23." She answered quietly.

"Hah! Yeah, I win this one, _kiddo._" He smiled. "So. What's eating you, munchkin?"

"Oh you're funny." She glared at him. "This is kind of weird." She smiled awkwardly. "I didn't even open up to Dov until like last week. I'm serious."

"Well, I'm a stranger. It's easier to talk to a stranger, cause you probably won't see me ever again." He shrugged his shoulders. "Think about it. It makes sense."

"I guess…" She hesitated.

"Okay, relax. Do you want me to talk first? I have problems too, you know." He looked at her, eyebrow raised.

"Okay." She smiled meekly, and whispered.

"Alright. Okay. Problems." He pursed his lips, trying to think of something. "Oh, I got one. That girlfriend I told you about? I'm ninety percent sure that she's cheating on me. That's why I started with you in the first place. Well, that and you're," he gestured at her body, "gorgeous."

"Oh nice. I'm a way of getting back at your unfaithful girlfriend." She laughed; not letting it hurt her feelings.

"No! No. Truth is I don't know what I'm doing. Don't know why I did it. Let's just blame it on me being a man." He chuckled.

"Yeah, a man child." She scoffed jokingly, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hey you! Watch yourself." He laughed. "I am a _man_, and my girlfriend is cheating on me. I need to get out of this job. I have my Master of Arts; I wanted to be a fingerprint analyst. But no. I carry luggage for a living." He sighed. "See?" He pointed at himself. "Troubled soul." She burst out laughing.

"Oh poor baby." She laughed.

"You know what? Yeah. Poor baby. Poor Josh. That's what up." He laughed, running his hands over his short hair.

"The whole reason I'm here is cause of work. I got an offer to move to Europe and work with top fashion industry personalities. I've worked so hard for it, but it just had to come now. I don't want to leave my boyfriend, I can't." She finally admitted.

"Could he go with you?" Josh mused.

"I could never ask him to do that. We've been through so much already, but the fact is, we've been together for a little over a month. It's nothing. I don't think you're supposed to love someone after a month, but that's how it is. He has a life here; he loves his job and his friends so much." She rubbed her eyes, exhausted.

"I get it. I know what you mean." Josh nodded, understanding perfectly.

"Is there any way that you could put the job on hold? Maybe go to Europe later on in your career?" He leaned back in his chair, relaxing a bit more.

"I don't know. Oh my God, I don't know what to do." She whimpered under her breath. "I just don't have any idea."

"Look. It's been a month. That really isn't a long time. Your career is going to be there for a long time, I mean, they want you to go overseas with them, your position is obviously permanent. But what if you two start fighting? Or, you just decide to call things off? Then you're left with nothing. No boyfriend, no job." Josh said sombrely. "I'm not trying to talk you out of this relationship, but the fact is, the odds are generally slated against the couple in this kind of situation."

"I don't know what to do." She let her head flop back on the chair. "I actually hate the smell of these sheets. Because they don't smell like Dov. I can't, sleep without him or think without him or _live_ without him. But this job… It's an amazing opportunity, it's once in a life time. It just, this doesn't happen to just anyone. It's a life changing opportunity. I'd get amazing pay, vacation, health, dental, _everything. _It's a dream come true. It's all I've ever wanted." She closed her eyes tightly, and sighed.

"It sounds to me like you've already made your choice." Josh said quietly. "I know nothing I say is really going to change anything for you, but the way you talk about that job and the way you talk about your boyfriend, it's pretty obvious to me at least, that you know what is going to be best for you." Megan raised her head to look at him.

"Why can't life just be easy? This isn't fair." She whispered.

"I think you'll make the right choice." Josh nodded, checking his cell. "One second, I wanna call Amy." He shifted a little and dialled his girlfriend, but just sighed and shook his head when it went straight to voicemail. "Can I use you to make her jealous?" He asked Megan quietly.

"Make it good." She laughed, finishing off her coffee as he began leaving a message.

"Hey, babe, it's me. Sorry, I thought I'd be home earlier but, something held me up." He pointed a glance at Megan, who played her part beautifully.

"Josh baby, come back to bed." She mewed. She looked up to see him mouthing _Nice!_. She stifled a laugh while he continued the call.

"Not sure when I'll be home, but I'll make it up to you okay?" He chuckled.

"Josh! Don't keep me waiting, baby." She called, a bit louder this time.

"Babe, I gotta go. Call you later." He snapped his phone shut. "You are _good._"

"My Mom always said I should have been an actress." She said simply, picking at her nail with a small smile playing across her lips.

"Yeah, well it'll be interesting to hear what she has to say." He stopped short when his phone began to ring. "Damn, you are _really _good." He laughed.

"_Baby_, you have no idea." She laughed. "Just call me in if you need it."

"You're a lifesaver." He flipped open his phone and answered breathlessly. "Hello?" He cleared his throat. "Amy? Oh hey. What's up?" He turned up the speaker so Megan could here.

"What's _up_? Are you kidding me?" His girlfriend screamed through the phone. "Where are you? Josh, where are you?" She was absolutely seething.

"At work." He answered simply. "Where are you?" This time, his voice took on an accusatory tone.

"I – I'm out with the girls." She answered abruptly.

"Oh yeah? See, Amy, one reason I really love these iPhone 4Gs with the face time thing, is that I can always find out when you're lying. What are you really doing?" He smiled into the phone, and Megan choked back her laughter.

"I'm with a friend, okay, that's it." Amy suddenly reigned in her emotions.

"Oh, look! A face time invite. Click!" Josh activated the feature and smiled at his girlfriend when she reluctantly accepted. Megan took the hint and jumped out of her chair.

She had done this before. She was excellent at staging things, and tricking people. She really was a deceiver, a fantastic liar. '_Except,_' she grimaced, '_when it comes to Dov._' She shook of her yearning and grabbed a bra out of her bag, draping it on the chair directly across from Josh. She stripped off the bathrobe and tossed it on the ground, along with her dress from work. She dimmed the lights in the room and tousled her hair, before sliding off her shirt and lying chest down on the bed, sheets covering from her waist down, exposing her bare back.

"So, Ames. Show me your friend." Josh challenged, a wicked smile on his face as his eyes travelled down the length of Megan's back for extra flare. Amy sighed and scowled, before turning the phone to show Josh a large man sitting in the chair opposite her.

"This is Riley, Josh. We work together." She said briskly.

"Oh, so it's normal for coworkers to hang out in their bedrooms, in little to no clothing?" He raised an eyebrow, before setting his sights on the man. "So, Riley. You hittin' my girl?" It was at this point that Amy lost it.

"You know what Josh? Yeah. We're having sex. I am having an affair, okay? I want to break up with you! I'm finished! We aren't working, I need more." She seethed, not an ounce of empathy in her voice. Megan's heart strings twanged as she listened to her harsh words, but all was mended when she heard Josh's reply.

"Eh, it's okay." He chuckled.

"It's _okay_? What?" She shrieked. "I'm all you have, and you know it!"

"Oh, honey. That's where you're wrong." He chuckled, before lifting his gaze to Megan, who had perfected her act. "Hey Megan?" He asked her, turning the phone so Amy could see the beautiful woman wrapped in the sheets on the bed.

"Mmm yeah baby?" Megan purred, sitting up and holding the sheet loosely over her breasts.

"Say hi to my ex girlfriend." He smiled.

"Will you come back to bed if I do? Baby I want you." She mewed. Josh, who was slowly buying into her act, shook himself out of his daze and answered her.

"You know I will." He said smoothly.

"Hey ex girlfriend." She smiled and waved, dropping the sheet a little lower. "Come on, now. I said it, now get over here Josh. Or I won't do that _thing_ you like." She leaned forward and began to crawl towards him. He turned the phone back around to see his girlfriends' wide eyes and jaw touching the floor.

"Amy, I gotta go. You can pick up your stuff tomorrow, assuming I ever get out of here." He grinned wolfishly, before ending the call. "Good lord, you are talented."

"Pass me my bathrobe please." Megan sat back and pulled the sheets up over her completely. Josh did as he was told. "Now turn around." He did. Megan tied up the robe and began to put her hair up again.

"That was amazing." He laughed. "Can I turn around now?"

"Yeah." She laughed. "What can I say. If you've got an audience, give them a show." Her heart sank back to the previous day with Dov at the coffee shop. She felt so good, knowing that those other girls all had eyes for him, but he was hers and she was his. And that was it.

"You, are a brilliant human being." He chuckled. Megan shrugged and yawned, smiling demurely. "A tired human being. I should get going."

"If you must." She laughed. "Thanks for this, Josh. You may look like you're four, but you really did help me out tonight."

"Don't worry about it. That was definitely the best possible way to break up with someone. That will go down in history." He laughed. "Have a good night, Megan. I hope everything works out for you." Her eyes followed him out of the room.

Sighing, she stood up and walked out onto the balcony, letting the icy winds caress her body and hair. Leaning out over the railing, she inhaled the smell of winter, before looking up to the sky. Her tired eyes searched, but couldn't find her favourite constellation. This, effectively, solidified her confidence in the choice she'd made.

Slowly, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and texted Dov.

_New Message_

_To: Dov Epstein_

_Hey, babe. Sorry I couldn't call you today, my damn meeting went on_

_forever. I'm gonna try to get some sleep now, but I'll see you around noon _

_tomorrow, okay? Love you._

Next, she dialled her boss' number.

"Lisa?" She asked when the woman picked up.

"Megan, honey, have you decided?" Lisa asked, her voice hopeful.

"Yeah." Megan nodded. "I have." She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, just praying that the step she was about to take was the right one.


	5. Happiness and Fragility

Last one! I hate to break it to you kiddos, but you won't find out her choice in this one either. We find out during the party. The party is going to be big for most of our couples of fifteen. There are some hints in here, though. So keep your eyes out ;) I can be quite tricky. And I kind of like Josh as a recurring character too... Maybe I'll toss him in later on as well. :) Thank you for all of your reviews! They're wonderful.

In the words of FireEthereal: *Like* ;)

Enjoy!

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Happiness and Fragility

"Joshua! Answer me!" Megan whined into her phone. "You said you were very metro. I need a guys' perspective!"

"Yes, Megan, and I'd be happy to help you any time _after_ four o'clock, when I'm not working." He repeated, chuckling.

"Please? Please? Checkout is in an hour, and I want to surprise Dov." She gazed out at the two dresses lying out on the hotel bed in front of her.

"Okay, hold on. I've got to deliver flowers to 814 for the couple's anniversary." He said monotonously.

"Awe, that's so cute." Megan sighed, and a knot twisted into her stomach. An anniversary. Something that was so close, yet possibly so far away.

"Give me fifteen minutes." Josh offered.

"Okay, thanks." They both hung up. Megan closed her eyes and tied up her hair again, shivering in her thin slip. Both dresses were rather sheer, and required something underneath. Tonight, the night of the Christmas party, had to be special. It had to go off without a hitch. She fell back onto the chair behind her and strapped on her high but workable heels. She knew she might not be getting a ride home that night.

Her makeup was done, outfit almost worked out and all that was left was her hair. She set her hot rollers and laughed at herself in the mirror.

"The things we do for beauty." She grinned. "God, I'm so nervous." She placed both hands on the sides of her face.

"Don't be nervous." Josh called, entering the room. "Thank you all access room key." He grinned. Megan jumped out of her skin and pressed her palm to her chest in surprise.

"One thing you should know about me, is that I really don't like being snuck up on." She laughed breathily.

"Sorry, I didn't know!" Josh began, but Megan waved him off.

"It's fine." She smiled.

"You look great." He let his eyes wander down her body.

"Joshua!" She snapped her fingers. "Stop gawking." He blushed but laughed along with her. "So," she walked into the bedroom and motioned for him to follow, "which one?"

"Show me. I can't pick just by looking at them, I'm not _that _metro." He laughed. "Come on. Hurry!" He laughed. "I'm still working!"

"Ah fine!" She giggled, grabbing the dresses and scampering into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged in a purple wrap dress with similar purple heels. There was light ruching carried down the side, with statement jewels along the top. "With a blazer?"

"What's a blazer?" Josh said, obviously distracted by the form fitting dress.

"What did I say about gawking?" She pointed her finger at him, placing one hand on her hip.

"Fine, fine. Sorry. Yeah, blazer. It's gonna be cold. Where is this party anyway?" He inquired.

"Some hall. Not sure exactly where." She bit her lip as she surveyed her reflection. "Okay, hold on. Next option." She turned on her heel and walked back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Much quicker this time, she swung the door open and sashayed out. "I think I like this one better."

"It's a tough choice, but I think I'm with you. It goes better with your shoes. And it's shorter, you have nice legs." He pointed out, eating a package of M&Ms he had in his pocket.

"You swear this is the better one?" She turned to the mirror again, critiquing her own appearance. "I'd have to wear the blazer with this. I'd freeze." This time, she was donning a silver sheath dress with sequined and beaded pattern, barely reaching mid thigh.

"I swear. Dov will love it." He grinned.

"Any word from Amy?" She looked up at him and was relieved to see that he didn't appear upset about the whole thing.

"Yeah, she called and apologized. I was like, can we talk later? I'm kinda busy. She just about had a conniption, because guess what, or _who_, she thought I was doing." He smiled wolfishly.

"Ha! That's fantastic." She laughed. "I have to admit, we are quite the team." She shrugged her shoulders, still looking at her dress in the mirror.

"Yeah really. I'm glad that happened. Because honestly, I didn't realize it until now, but she was suffocating me. I need to go be a man for a while, not a boyfriend." He sank into a chair.

"That's a good way to think of it." Megan smiled. "I think you made the right choice."

"Now, all I have to do is deal with the whole job issue." He shook his head, ruffling his hair with his hands.

"Hey, you know, my boyfriend _is_ a cop." She walked a little closer. "No guarantees, but maybe I could get him to put in a good word with the department. I don't know if it's directly related in _any _way to like, fingerprint analysis and that part of forensics but it's worth a shot right?" She shrugged. "Like, you've got the credentials. So why not?"

"Really?" He sat upright, smiling widely. "You'd do that for me? That would be so amazing." He beamed.

"That way, you can get where you want to be. And you will freakin' cherish that, understand me? Being happy." She sighed.

"He'll understand." Josh placed one hand on her knee, and she was a little surprised. There was no sneaky, ulterior motivated undertones to it. He was just consoling a friend. '_Maybe he's gay._' She shrugged.

"I don't know, if he will though. What if he hates me?" She asked quietly, closing her eyes.

"He won't hate you. If anything, he'll admire you for doing what you think is right and following your heart." He assured her. "You didn't see the constellation, what was it, Columba. You didn't see it last night. That's a confirmation by the Gods if there ever was one." He continued. "Megan, trust me. You always knew this is what you wanted to do, that this was the right choice to make."

"I hope you're right." She whispered. The calm that had settled over the room was shattered by the screeching of Josh's cell phone.

"Jesus." He jumped, pulling his phone out of his chest pocket. "Where's the fire?" He asked. "Alright, fine." He snapped it shut. "I gotta go. Life as a concierge, baby. That's the way it goes." He smiled.

"Not for long though, being a concierge. I'll call you, okay? If I can work anything out." She smiled. "Even if I can't find anything for you, promise me that you'll get out of here on your own."

"Promise?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know happiness until you're there one hundred percent. You aren't happy right now. Promise me." She repeated.

"I promise." He got up from his chair and stood a little under a foot away from her. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Hayes." He smiled, extending a hand, which she timidly shook.

"Likewise. Now go make your bosses happy before you quit." She smiled up at him. "Thanks for everything." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Now seriously, get out." She laughed.

"I'll see you around, Megan. Thank _you_, for everything." He smiled from the doorway, before turning and jogging down the hall.

The rest, was all up to her. She waited for her hair to set before taking it down and dousing it with hairspray, sliding on her blazer and packing her things. Once the room looked like it had when she arrived, she picked up her cell phone and dialled Dov.

"Hey you." She smiled into the phone at the sound of his voice.

"Hey, babe. You're coming home soon, right?" He asked eagerly.

"You bet. I'm like a half hour away." She answered.

"Oh thank God." He laughed. "I missed you. Is that pathetic? I feel pathetic. We need a dog."

"That's not pathetic, it makes me really happy to know you missed me. I missed you too." More than he would ever know.

"Well, get back here! The party starts soon, I wanna get there early so I can show you off." He chuckled.

"We talked about this!" She smiled. "And by the way, I'm all done up already. So no pre-party sex, got it? None."

"But Megan…" Dov groaned. "You can't leave for two days and expect me to not be thinking about that and only that."

"Dov Epstein! Party first." She grinned, extending the handle of her suitcase and leaving her room.

"Yes ma'am." He answered curtly. "You know, it's kinda hot when you take charge like this."

"Oh, I'll take charge alright. After the party." She laughed, walking down the hall to the elevator. She talked with him all the way down to the lobby, laughing and loving every second of it.

"You torture me on purpose, don't you?" He asked her.

"Oh you know it." She lowered her voice. "I love hearing you beg."

"Megan! Stop!" He laughed. "You're killing me!"

"Oh, babe." She laughed, locking eyes with Josh and sending a smile his way. "Just wait 'till I get back."

"Oh my Lord." Dov laughed.

"I gotta go, I'll see you in like fifteen okay?" Megan said, approaching the front desk.

"Can't wait. Love you." He answered.

"Love you too." She whispered, closing her phone. Her heart ached, not knowing what the evening held for them. She checked out, thanked Josh again, and met her cab out front. True to her word, fifteen minutes later, she pulled up out front of their house where he practically bounded down the front steps.

"I missed you, I missed you." He spun her around. "Whoa, you look amazing!" He stood back, mouth gaping as he took her in.

"I missed you too." She pulled him in for a hot kiss. "But no sex. Go get ready, we gotta go!" She laughed, following him inside. "Oh, and Dov," he turned around to look at her, "remind me, we have to talk later."

"About?" He tilted his head.

"Later. Let's just go have fun at the party okay? We can talk after." She waved it off.

"If you insist…" He furrowed his brow, but continued inside. She shook off a familiar aching feeling and walked up the steps, before pulling together a quick snack. He only took about twenty minutes to get ready, so they were off, headed to the party in no time.

"Look, Megan, are you okay?" He asked as they sat in the car, driving to the hall.

"Me? Oh, yeah." She smiled at him meekly, wishing she wasn't so easy to read. "Why do you ask?"

"You just have that look on your face, like you're somewhere else." He held her hand over the console between the two seats.

"Baby, trust me. I'm fine. We'll talk about it later, okay?" She really tried to hold herself together as she watched his face slowly crack into a smile, knowing all he wanted to do was make her happy and be what she needs. He was what she needed. And as they drove to the hall, she gazed out the window, just hoping that her life wouldn't fall apart when she told him about the choice she'd made.

* * *

Megan's party dress! (Sans blazer): www[dot]asos[dot]com[slash]Warehouse-Deco-Style-Embellished-Silk-Dress[slash]Prod[slash]pgeproduct[dot]aspx?iid=1191064&cid=8857&sh=0&pge=2&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Grey


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